The town will host a weekend of entertainment, culture and history at the inaugural Herring Festival at Oliver Mill Park on Route 44. Last year, an estimated 1 million herring passed through Middleboro.

The festival will kick off Friday night with local ghost stories told around a bonfire at Town Hall. The event was scheduled to be held along the banks of the Nemasket River, but the forecast of rain forced it inside. The event continues on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with more than 60 crafters and venders.

The Middleboro/Lakeville Herring Fishery is the among most prolific in the world, largely due to the pristine Assawompset Pond complex where the fish spawn. Herring live most of their lives in the Atlantic Ocean, but each spring the adults make their way from Mount Hope Bay to the complex to spawn.

Females can lay up to 200 eggs each, but only one in 100 will mature to spawn in their natal pond.

The herring population is slowly declining in numbers, and there has been a ban against catching them along the entire East Coast since 2006. But children are in luck this weekend because the Middleboro/Lakeville Herring Fisheries Commission will be on hand to give them a chance to participate in an age-old Middleboro rite of spring and catch their own fish – as long as they put them back in the river.

Selectman Leilani Dalpe, who headed up the group that organized the festival, said there will be hourly demonstrations and live music on both days, a beer garden, kiosks chockfull of information, locally made goods and crafts and refreshments from Middleboro restaurants.

Entertainment includes the local duo Paul Colarusso and Judy Pavadore and Leilani’s Zingers. Historian and former Selectman Frederick E. Eayrs will speak about the history of the herring and Oliver Mill during the Colonial period, and several state and local organizations will participate.

Throughout the weekend, Middleboro restaurants will offer Herring Run Fish Specials in honor of the festival, and Ella’s Lemonade Shop will reopen for the season.

On Saturday night, the festival will return to Town Hall with a family-style dance. Tickets are $10 per person, $25 for a family. Brianna Grace will headline the show after some magic by Adam Bond. The lineup includes the Tuesday Night Jazz Band and entertainer Dennis Lewoczko.

On Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., the library will host local favorites Paramusia, Erik Lindgren and Leilani Dalpe while local authors Sheila Connolly, Marilyn Thayer, Mike Maddigan, Ed and Yolanda Lodi and Derel Lee Twombly will talk about their books and sign copies for the public.